Pregnant Baha’i Woman Among Three Sent to Prison in Iran

Three Baha’i women from Rafsanjan have been taken into custody to serve their prison sentences and transferred to Kerman Prison. One of them, Bushra Mostafavi, is currently pregnant.

According to HRANA, the news arm of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Didar Ahmadi, Bushra Mostafavi, and Elna Naeimi were arrested on Saturday, April 25, and moved to Kerman County Prison to begin serving their sentences. The three had earlier been sentenced to four months in prison each by Branch 7 of the Kerman Provincial Court of Appeals. Their trial took place on May 14, 2025, on charges of “propaganda in favor of groups or organizations opposing the Islamic Republic system.”

At the same time, the human rights group Hengaw reported that the appellate judge displayed a discriminatory stance during the proceedings, telling them: “You are Baha’i, and in an Islamic country, you must pay the price for being Baha’i.” Earlier, Branch 3 of the Rafsanjan Criminal Court had acquitted the three women due to a lack of sufficient evidence. However, that decision was later challenged by the Rafsanjan prosecutor.

Didar Ahmadi, Bushra Mostafavi, and Elna (Nahid) Naeimi were first arrested on June 7, 2020, after Ministry of Intelligence agents raided their homes. They were released on bail at a later stage.